Black Marsh Fever
by LadyWillow
Summary: When Sophia is accepted into the ranks of The Dark Brotherhood, she finds romance in the strangest of places.  PC/Teinaava romance.
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Oblivion or The Elder Scrolls. It all belongs to Bethesda.

**Notes:** This story will deal with a romance between a Breton and an Argonian. If beastfolk getting lovin' bothers you, don't read it.

**Black Marsh Fever**

_Chapter One_

It was with a heavy heart that Sophia turned down the covers and crawled into bed.

He was dead.

And she had been the one to kill him.

Resolving not to think about it any more, a small tear rolled down her cheek as she pulled the blankets to her chin and closed her eyes.

XXX

"_Stop! Renald, what are you doing?"_

_Heavy breathing, pressure on her chest, she couldn't move!_

"_Renald, please! Don't do this!"_

_Hot, stale breath in her face, the sound of his rasping breath all she could hear, as if it were all around her._

"_No, no! Please, by the Nine Renald, don't!"_

_A stabbing pain, and then nothing._

XXX

Sophia jerked awake with the uncomfortable feeling that she was not alone in her small house on the Waterfront. Casting a wary look around the room, she tried to shake the sensation off. Convinced that she'd simply had a strange dream, she was about to fall asleep, when…

"You sleep rather soundly, for a murderer."

Her first instinct was to retort, that no, in fact, she had not been sleeping soundly at all, but the desire for a sassy reply was overcome by deep curiosity, followed by mild concern. After all, she lived on the Waterfront. Her house wasn't exactly secure at the best of times, and drunks wandered in once and a while, still… this voice was apparently disembodied. Which was a little odd.

"Who-who's there?"

A man in black shimmered into view, and she gasped, taking in the tall figure, dark hood obscuring his face and casting it into heavy shadow.

"I am Lucien Lachance, a Speaker for the Dark Brotherhood. And you, you are a killer. A taker of life. A harvester of souls. Your work, your deathcraft, pleases the Night Mother. And so, I come to you with an offering. An opportunity... to join our rather unique family."

Sophia stared in shock at this man. Yes, this was definitely different than the drunken ramblings that usually followed someone strange in her house in the middle of the night.

"Please continue, Mister Lachance." She said softly, replying more by instinct than anything else, mind still reeling from his introduction.

"Ah, I find your etiquette refreshing." He said, a smile in his voice. Sophia found herself distractedly thinking that it was a rather lovely voice, all things considered, before he continued speaking and she shook herself a bit mentally and tried to pay attention.

"On the Green Road to the north of Bravil lies the Inn of Ill Omen. There you will find a man named Rufio. Kill him, and your initiation into the Dark Brotherhood will be complete. Do this, and the next time you sleep in a location I deem secure, I will reveal myself once more, bearing the love of your new family."

"B-but, I'm no murderer!" she exclaimed, stunned. _Well what did you think, Sophia, he was here to sell you something? _She chastised herself with a wry frown.

"No? The Night Mother seems to think otherwise. Did you not kill the man Renald DuPois? Allow me to grant you a gift, in case you reconsider." His hand emerged from within the folds of his robe, and Sophia flinched as he held out shining dagger.

"It is a virgin blade, and thirsts for blood. May it serve you well. Now, I bid you farewell. I do hope we'll meet again soon."

"Wait!" she cried, throwing back the covers and moving to get up from the bed, "don't leave, I have so many questions!"

"Then ask them, child."

"I've heard of the Dark Brotherhood before, and I just don't understand… I'm not a bad person!"

"You killed a man, and the Night Mother was pleased. That is all there is to it."

She thought about that for a moment.

"I don't remember killing him." She finally admitted, "I woke up and he was just…dead."

"Ah yes," Lucien said, "sometimes the mind can block out such exciting or stimulating moments. The memory will return eventually, and with it, the glory."

Sophia frowned, silent for several minutes after that as she processed. Finally,

"And this Rufio, what is he to you?"

"Know that Rufio is old and weak, and sleeps his days away. You could kill him before he even has a chance to wake. If you so choose."

She nodded, and after a few moments, apparently he decided that enough was enough.

"Your path is clear. Send Rufio to his death, and the Dark Brotherhood will embrace you as family."

Then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, Lucien Lachance was gone, and Sophia was left staring at the place he had been, her mind a confused and muddled mess.

_What have I gotten myself into this time?_

XXX


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Oblivion or The Elder Scrolls series. It belongs to Bethesda

**Black Marsh Fever**

_Chapter Two_

Family. Lucien had said the one word that Sophia would most respond to, and she idly wondered if it had been on purpose, as she rode toward the Inn of Ill Omen.

The sun was shining particularly brightly today, and she found herself shielding her eyes as she passed over the Old Bridge, the reflections on the water almost blinding.

Family. Sophia hadn't considered the idea in a long time, not since her parent's funeral. Their death so many years ago had left her utterly alone at a young age, and the life she'd had to live in order to survive had not been a pleasant one. It had also not done much to instill morals or a conscience in the young woman, either.

"Well Flick, we'll go to this Inn of Ill Omen, check the place out… I'm not making any promises until I get there. That's practical, isn't it?"

The white horse tipped his ears back as the Breton on his back spoke, than gave a snort.

"Oh, don't you even start with me, mister! This could be a chance at a new life! Wouldn't you like to have a decent stall at the stable for a change, instead of the run-down one I can afford? I know I'd surely like to live in a nicer house. One where random people can't just walk in would be nice…"

XXXX

"Well, so much for practicality." Sophia quipped in a low whisper as she stood in the shadows of Rufio's bedroom. Lucien was right, all the man did was sleep, and it had been sadly easy to sneak into the basement and let herself into his room. Now she held the Blade of Woe carefully in her left hand and watched the slow rise and fall of the sleeping man's chest.

"Here goes nothing…"

She crept forward in a low crouch, moving carefully on the balls of her feet to keep from making any noise, and within moments she was looming over the old man's body. Slowly, she raised the blade to his neck, and before she could convince herself not to, she dragged it across his neck. Blood sprung to the surface, and she realized that she'd cut too shallowly. Well, shoot.

She quickly repeated the motion, and then sprung back as blood flew into the air.

"Well that's more like it…" she murmured dazedly, then turned and scurried from the room, scrambling up the ladder to the main floor, and fairly flying out the door before anyone could ask why exactly she had a spray of blood across her face.

XXXX

"So, the deed is done. How do I know this? You will find that the Dark Brotherhood knows a great many things. For you are now part of the family."

Sophia yawned and sat up in her bed, turning her body to face Lucien once more.

"Well, hello to you too!" she grumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, "and now what?"

"Now you embrace your fate. The slaying of Rufio was the signing of a covenant. The manner of execution, your signature. Rufio's blood, the ink"

"Right. And where do I go? I assume the rest of the Dark Brotherhood won't be sneaking into my house?"

Lucien gave her a patient, but strained smile, and she inwardly giggled. Apparently her sarcasm wasn't quite as refreshing as she'd hoped.

"As a Speaker of the Black Hand, I directly oversee a particular group of family members. You will join that group, and fulfill any contracts given. You must now go to the city of Cheydinhal, to the abandoned house near the eastern wall. Enter the basement, and attempt to open the black door. You will be asked a question. Answer thusly: "Sanguine, my Brother." You will gain entrance to the Sanctuary. Once inside, speak with Ocheeva."

"Cheydinhal, abandoned house, black door, Ocheeva. Got it."

"We must now take our leave of each other, you and I, for there is much work to be done. I'll be following... your progress. Welcome to the family."

"Thank you, Mister Lachance. Can I just ask a quick question though? What did you mean by a 'covenant'?"

"Know this. Every Dark Brother and Sister is a child of Sithis. He whom we call Sithis has many other names. Chaos. Doom. Discord. Sithis is the Void. We of the Dark Brotherhood serve the Night Mother, who is the bride of Sithis. The Night Mother rules her children with a terrible Black Hand. The Black Hand is the ruling body of the Dark Brotherhood. It is made up of one Listener and Four Speakers. Four fingers and a thumb, if you will. As a member of the Dark Brotherhood, you must abide by the Five Tenets. They are the laws that guide and protect us."

"And um… what exactly are the Five Tenets?" she asked carefully, confusion evident on her face.

"The Five Tenets are as follows: Tenet one: Never dishonor the Night Mother. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis. Tenet two: Never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis. Tenet three: Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood superior. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis. Tenet four: Never steal the possessions of a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis. Tenet five: Never kill a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis."

"How about 'never wear socks and sandals, to do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis'?" she asked brightly, and Lucien's indulgent smile faded.

"Do not make light of such punishment. I sincerely hope you shall never have to experience it."

Sophia nodded slowly, aware that she'd obviously offended someone very powerful. And scary.

"And who uh… who exactly is Sithis?"

"How does one best describe our Dread Father? Imagine a perfect, cloudless midnight, cold as winter ice and shrouded in shadow. That is Sithis."

"Ah. Well, now that just clears everything up, thanks so much." She grumbled, and Lucien actually laughed.

"Things will become more clear as time progresses, dear child. You are now one with the Dark Brotherhood. Visit Ocheeva at the Cheydinhal Sanctuary and your new life will begin."

XXXX


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Oblivion or The Elder Scrolls, it belongs to Bethesda. I'm just playing around with the characters for my own sick amusement.

**Notes:** Thanks to my first (and so far only) reviewer! 

**Black Marsh Fever**

_Chapter Three_

The road to Cheydinhal was a long one, and Sophia and Flick were worn out two days later when the city came into view on the horizon.

"Oh, thank the Divines!" Sophia exclaimed, "That's the city! It must be!"

For someone who had grown up in Chorrol, then moved to the Imperial City as an adult, seeing new places was still exciting, and she found herself eagerly wondering what kinds of interesting new people she would meet in Cheydinhal, and more importantly, at the sanctuary.

Flick, eager for a break after so long on the road, picked up the pace of his own volition, and was soon nearly galloping toward the city.

"Whoa, fella! It's a lot further away than it looks, you know." She teased the horse, who just grunted and kept his pace.

"All right, suit yourself." She said with a small shrug.

XXXX

An hour later, a panting and prideful Flick was brought to a stop outside the stables near Cheydinhal.

"Flick, you may be the strangest horse in all of Cyrodiil." Sophia quipped as she dismounted and led him to the paddock. A young Dark Elf noticed her and met them at the gate.

"Need to board him for a while?" he asked, gesturing to the out-of-breath white horse, all in a lather.

"Yes, please." Sophia responded politely, and handed the reins over.

"Now Flick, you behave yourself. Don't think I've forgotten what happened the last time you boarded somewhere new. I'm quite sure this nice fellow would like to have children some day, so don't even think about it." She warned the horse, who maintained eye contact through the entire "reminder", then flicked his ears and gave a shrill whinny.

"Oh, don't you get all indignant with me! You know how much trouble I got in over that whole fiasco! Just behave, and I'll bring you a sweet roll later, okay?"

Flick jerked his head a few times and Sophia smiled. "That's my best boy!" she cooed, then gave a wave to the bewildered (and slightly paler) stable boy, and made her way to the city gates.

XXXX

"Hello, sir! Could you give me some directions?"

The city guard smiled at the pretty young Breton standing before him, thinking that he'd like to give her much more than that, then froze at her next sentence.

"I'm looking for an abandoned house."

"Uh miss, that's a dangerous… part of town. A lovely young woman such as yourself has no business over there," he jerked his head toward the east, "I'm sure."

Sophia barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes.

"Thank you for your concern." She said stiffly, and then walked away – to the east.

_Idiot_. She thought disdainfully to herself, as she walked past the chapel.

A run-down house was suddenly in view, and Sophia moved toward it eagerly, until she saw that the door had several boards across it. Drawing closer, she found the knob and opened the door, then blessed her small size as she ducked beneath a beam, hitched a leg up over another one, and let herself in.

Noticing how dark it was inside, Sophia pulled out a torch and lit it without too much trouble, then closed the front door with a cringe-worthy squealing creak.

"Now, the basement…?" she murmured, and lifted to torch high to cast the light across the room.

Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust and grime, and the air was musty and smelled faintly of mildew and wood rot. Sophia could see cobwebs everywhere, and there was no sign that anyone had been here in years, if not longer.

Next to a stairwell (that looked rickety enough that she wouldn't dare try to climb it), she saw a door. It opened easily – and silently – and the torch shown its light on a set of descending stairs.

"Found it!" she exclaimed, then jumped when her voice echoed from down below. "Well, that's not ominous or anything…"

Slowly she made her way down, certain that at any moment the stairs would give way and she would plummet to her death. As such, she was very relieved when she reached the bottom of the creaking, brittle stairs still fully intact, if not a bit shaken.

A hole in the wall before her led through a crude passageway and then she stopped in her tracks.

"That uh… must be the door in question…" she muttered as she looked at the daunting structure, complete with a rather morbid mural adorning it. Drawing near, she shrieked when a wispy voice spoke,

"What is the color of night?"

"Mara's _tits_!" Sophia exclaimed, jumping at least a foot into the air, "oh! Oh, uh, 'sanguine, my brother'?" she quoted, and somehow managed to keep from letting out another startled yelp when the door creaked open and the same voice whispered,

"Welcome home."

"Gee thanks, mysterious voice! You wouldn't happen to have a change of underpants handy, would you?" she grumbled, then cautiously stepped inside. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the light level, and she vigorously (and perhaps a bit violently) shook her torch until it went out with a muted hiss, than tossed the smoking stick aside as an Argonian woman approached her.

"Greetings! Greetings! I am Ocheeva, mistress of this Sanctuary. Lucien has told me all about you. Let me welcome you to the Dark Brotherhood! You stand now in our sanctuary. May it serve as your new home, a place of comfort and security whenever the need arises. When you're ready for work, go and speak with Vicente Valtieri. He handles all assignments for new family members. But before you go, please accept this gift from your new family. A unique set of armor, lighter than normal leather and black as the Void. Now, I've kept you long enough, Vicente is waiting. You'll find him in his quarters. Go now, child, and may Sithis go with you."

Sophia took the bundle of black clothing into her arms, and gave Ocheeva a warm smile.

"Thank you so much! You know, I was worried about sticking out with my colorful clothes, but this will help a lot!"

When the Argonian didn't laugh, she realized that her particular brand of humor wasn't going to go over too well with this crowd. Darn.

"So uh… Lucien! Is he around?"

"Lucien isn't here very often. His duties with the Black Hand keep him very busy, so he trusts me to keep the Sanctuary in order."

"Oh, I see. Well…. I guess I'll go say hello to this Vicente Valtieri fellow, then. Thanks for the clothes!"

"You're very welcome. Go now, dear family member, and may the Night Mother wrap you in her cold, loving embrace."

"Oh! Uh, you too?"

XXXX


	4. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Oblivion or the Elder Scrolls, both belong to Bethesda.

_Notes_: Sorry for the long wait between chapters, I should be on a more frequent update schedule from now on. 

Also, this is where we must deviate at least a little bit from cannon conversations. I tried to keep everyone in character. Let me know how I did, please.

**Black Marsh Fever**

_Chapter Four_

A slightly damp scent permeated the underground sanctuary, and Sophia did her best to keep from wrinkling her nose at the smell of mildew that lingered faintly in the dark corners. After her… enlightening chat with Ocheeva, she was on her way to see Vicente Valtieri, although she was more than curious about the few people she saw milling about around her. As she passed a corner table, another Argonian spoke, startling her. Between the darkness and the black clothing she hadn't even seen him sitting there with a book.

"I welcome you to our family, and this sanctuary. May you find yourself at home here, in the loving embrace of our Night Mother."

"Oh, thank you! I'm Sophia," she introduced herself, stepping closer to the seated man. "I almost didn't see you there!"

"I am Teinaava, assassin for the Dark Brotherhood. It is good to meet you, Sophia. Have you spoken yet to Vicente Valtieri?"

Sophia frowned, "No, I was just on my way to speak to him, though. I have to say, I was surprised to find out that Lucien isn't here, I guess I thought…"

"Yes, Lucien only comes to visit us on the most special of occasions. He is a good man. Ocheeva and I have known Lucien since we were hatchlings. He is the one who trained us in the way of the Shadowscale, and is like a father to us."

"You and Ocheeva are related?" Sophia asked, eyebrow arching in surprise.

"Yes, Ocheeva and I are egg-mates – twins. We were trained together in the way of the Shadowscale." He replied, and although Sophia hadn't met many Argonians before – and certainly not enough to be able to easily read their facial expressions, it appeared that Teinaava was grinning almost expectantly. Not one to disappoint, she asked the obvious question.

"And what exactly is a Shadowscale?"

Teinaava chuckled, "In the Argonian homeland of Black Marsh, those born under the sign of The Shadow are taken at birth and presented to the Dark Brotherhood. A Shadowscale hatchling is trained in the arts of stealth and assassination, and lives a life in service to the mighty kingdom of Argonia. Any Shadowscale who lives to come of age is accepted into the Dark Brotherhood as a full member of the family. So it was with myself, and Ocheeva."

"So in Black Marsh, the Dark Brotherhood is accepted as a part of society?"

"Oh yes, it is much different than here, or even in Morrowind. Always living on the fringes… it has taken some getting used to. But Ocheeva and I are well suited to the shadows. And so, apparently, are you."

Sophia faltered, before giving him a cautious smile. "I guess so, everything has just happened so fast. Not like it was for you at all, I suppose."

"No, I have been training my whole life for the Dark Brotherhood. I imagine for someone not raised in the ways of the Shadowscale, initiation into our ranks must seem quite sudden. I am sure you will find comfort here, dear sister."

Sophia smiled, enjoying his rough voice and finding comfort in his reassurances.

"I hope so. Family's important to me, you know? If you are all going to be my family now… well, then I'm glad to be home."

"Good, good. You should speak to Vicente, I'm sure he is waiting for you." Teinaava reminded, and Sophia nodded.

"I guess so. I'll talk to you later?"

"Of course, dear sister, of course. Go now, and may Sithis go with you."

Sophia wondered if everyone had such strange ways of saying goodbye to each other, and with a slight shrug she wandered away from the Argonian and down a short hallway. On the left were a set of heavy wooden doors, and she pushed them open with no small effort. Inside, sitting at a well-lit table, was an older man who was also reading a book. Before she could get a look at the title it was placed face down on the table, and the man stood, meeting her gaze.

"Ah, here you are, so good to finally meet you." He said, and Sophia smiled, stepping more fully into the room and leaving the door open behind her. The man was just unnerving enough that she didn't want to be closed up in the room alone with him.

It was only as she drew closer that she started to take in some of the tell-tale signs… this man was a vampire! She was almost certain! Heart pounding, she wondered if running away would be the best course of action… but no, both Ocheeva and Teinaava had suggested she speak with Vicente; he must not be dangerous. Or, maybe Argonians just didn't taste good, so they were safe from his bloodlust. Maybe he preferred young, succulent flesh not unlike her own…

"Warmest greetings to you. I trust you've already spoken with Ocheeva? I am Vicente Valtieri. I provide assignments for all new family members," And then, as if he suddenly realized the direction of her thoughts, he continued, "Please do not let my appearance...unnerve you. The needs and Tenets of the Dark Brotherhood come before my own needs as a vampire. Now, if you're ready to get to work, I can provide you with your first contract."

"Y-you're a vampire…" she said stupidly, blinking a few times. _State the obvious, Sophia. Great job._

"I was stricken with vampirism over three-hundred years ago, while on an expedition deep into the Ashlands of Vvardenfell. For nearly one hundred years I hunted in secret, until the Dark Brotherhood found me. Now I have a family who accepts and even values my unique gifts." He smiled toothily, showing off his fangs quite knowingly, and Sophia relaxed slightly, "Perhaps in the future, when I feel you have earned the right I will offer you a chance to become a hunter of the night.

"What? Oh, no. No, no, no. That's quite all right. No offense implied, Mister Valtieri, but I'm perfectly happy being… well, alive."

Vicente tossed his head back and laughed heartily for a few moments, then nodded his head briefly. "I understand, sister. It is, of course, your choice. Now, then, did you have any other questions for me before we get started?"

"Yes, actually." Sophia began, folding her hands behind her back. "I've heard several people speak of Sithis, but no one has really explained…"

"Ah yes. Sithis is the darkness of time immemorial. He is no daedra, and dwells not in the realm of Oblivion. No, Sithis is something altogether… different."

"Surprisingly, that's the most helpful anyone has been so far." Sophia grumbled, and Vicente laughed.

"You shall have to figure out the rest for yourself, I assume Lucien was even less forthcoming." His eyes twinkled, and he mimicked Sophia's posture, hands going behind his back as he smiled genially.

"He was actually rather poetic." She replied with a smirk. "Have you known him long?"

"As long as he has been Speaker, I have known him. When I first joined the family, this Sanctuary was controlled by another Speaker. Lucien took over when she was killed while fulfilling a contract."

"I won't ask for the details." Sophia said, shuddering a bit at the thought of how things could probably go very bad for a member of the Dark Brotherhood. "So, you and Ocheeva both mentioned these contracts. What exactly are they?" 

Vicente nodded, as if he was expecting this question. "A contract is a pact one enters into with the Dark Brotherhood. They provide us with the gold, and we remove someone from existence. A contract is fulfilled by a skilled assassin such as yourself, who keeps the Dark Brotherhood's end of the bargain. So it has always been." He paused, waiting for Sophia to nod her understanding.

"While carrying out a contract, you may have the opportunity to earn a bonus if certain parameters are met. Some contracts are straightforward. Find the target, eliminate them, then return to the Sanctuary. No time limits or complications. However, many of our clients request that their contracts be carried out in a specific manner. A certain place, a certain method of elimination. We try to honor this requests whenever possible. After all, the Dark Brotherhood's reputation has been built on providing... good service." Sophia would have sworn the ancient vampire winked at her, before continuing.

"Any Brother or Sister who can complete a contract while fulfilling a specific request will receive a valuable bonus, oftentimes a powerful magic item."

Sophia had to admit, she was intrigued. Mostly about the magical items… she had heard of such things, but never been wealthy enough to own one. And to be honest, she'd never really had the need for one, either. But now… a good enchantment could save her life, she knew that much.

"I understand, Mister Valtieri. I guess I'm ready for my first contract." She said, with no small amount of trepidation.

"Excellent. Here is what you must do. Go to the Waterfront District of the Imperial City. There you will find a ship named the Marie Elena. Board the ship and find its captain, Gaston Tussaud. He'll be in his cabin. Eliminate Tussaud in any manner you see fit."

Sophia stared at Vicente. To have things laid out so plainly… where would she even begin? Sophia knew what the Dark Brotherhood was about, but deep down… was she really a killer? Could she even bring herself to do this when she wasn't being threatened?

Vicente seemed to sense her unease, and decided to throw her a bit of a bone.

"The pirates have been moving a lot of cargo onboard lately. You may be able to smuggle yourself on board in one of the packing crates. Oh, and one more thing. Get into the habit of asking your fellow family members about any current contract. Their insight may prove invaluable."

Shaking herself out of her doubts and concerns, Sophia nodded her thanks at Vicente. "I'll… I'll do my best." She said, and he nodded.

"I'm sure you will. Go now, and return when the deed is done."

As she wandered away, Sophia wondered if she had dug herself into a hole too deep even for her to climb out of.

XXXX

Walking through the Sanctuary, Sophia gave a startled squeal when she ran head-long into someone. Stumbling back and half expecting a knife in her belly, she looked up and was instead surprised to see a kind face looking down at her.

"Warmest welcomes to you. I am Telaendril. Wood Elf and loyal daughter of Sithis. I hope you find our Sanctuary to your liking."

Taken aback by such kindness, Sophia blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Wow, you're so pretty, and friendly! How did you come to be _here_?"

Telaendril laughed out loud, and guided Sophia off to the side to continue their conversation without taking up the middle of the hall. "Appearances can be deceiving, sister. And actually, Lucien did not try to recruit me. Not at first. He tried to kill me. My father wanted me dead, and he hired the Dark Brotherhood to do it. I escaped from Lucien, and paid my father back for his treachery. Lucien came to me again that night with an offer I just couldn't refuse."

Sophia stared. And then she stared some more. She tried to imagine her father – her loving, carefree father – hiring someone to murder her, and the result was laughter bordering on the hysterical side. It took several minutes for her to calm down, during which Telaendril looked increasingly concerned for the sanity of her new friend, but finally Sophia let out a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm still getting used to the whole… murder and assassination thing." She explained weakly, and if Telaendril had any thoughts about Sophia's suitability to this lifestyle, she was tactful enough not to say anything. Instead, she decided a change of subject was in order.

"So, did you get your first contract from Vicente?" she asked in excitement, and Sophia nodded.

"Yes, I'm supposed to erm… kill the captain of the Marie Elena, some pirate fellow named Gaston Tussaud, in the Imperial Waterfront." She explained, and Telaendril nodded.

"Pirates, eh? They tend to be quick, and good with a blade, but don't favor armor. They're not fond of bows or spells, either." A faraway look came to her eyes, and Sophia realized with some amount of horror that the woman must be remembering some time in which she herself had killed a few pirates.

Maybe this wasn't the best lifestyle choice, after all.

"Um, guess I'll just go… get to it…"

Telaendril snapped out of her deep thoughts and gave a self-deprecating smile. "Sorry, I tend to get a little caught up remembering my past adventures sometimes. Anyway, have you met Gogron gro-Bolmog yet?" a coquettish look came over her face, and Sophia smiled.

"No, not yet… but an Orc assassin? How um… how exactly does that work out?" she asked, trying to be tactful but knowing that she must be failing quite miserably when Telaendril laughed out loud.

"Not so well, really. Oh, I shouldn't...well all right. Gogron had a pet rabbit as a child! He petted the thing so hard he crushed its skull! Ha ha ha! What a brute!"

Sophia tried to find the humor in this anecdote. Really, she did. Instead, she felt a little sick, and with a mumbled _"I just remembered I left something on fire" _she scooted away before she embarrassed herself by losing her lunch all over the Sanctuary floor. 

Only to find herself face-to-chest a rather indignant Khajiit.

"If it isn't the newest member of the family."

Sophia prepared herself for another awkward meeting, so she was surprised when the man continued in a rather confrontational tone.

"Let's get one thing straight - the Tenets prevent me from killing you. But I don't have to like you. I'll sell you equipment, but only because Ocheeva is making me. This family doesn't need any... outsiders."

"Oh! Well, um… I'm Sophia…" she said, unsure of how to respond to such a hostile welcome.

"And I don't care." He replied, then turned and walked away, mumbling something about foul smelling apes. Lovely.

_Huh,_ Sophia thought to herself, _maybe he has some matted fur in an unpleasant region._

And she knew she must be changing, and not necessarily for the better, when she didn't even feel guilty for such a rude and inappropriate thought.


End file.
